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TWO LETTERS OF RICHARD 
CROMWELL, 1659 



Edited by 
RALPH C. H. CATTERALL 



REPRINTED FROM THE 



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VOL, VIII NO. 1 



OCTOBER 1902 



[Reprinted from The American Historical Review, Vol. VIII., No. i, Oct., 1902.] 



2. Two Letters of Richard Cromwell, idjp. 
In the Lansdowne collection of manuscripts in the British Mu- 
seum, vol. 821, are twenty-three letters of Richard Cromwell to his 
brother Henry. Most of them are of little value, but two fols 
1 53 and 1 54, possess importance as proving that Richard did not so 



Sy Documents 

readily acquiesce in his downfall as is generally supposed. Heath 
states that he declared himself unwilling to " have a drop of blood 
shed for the preservation " of his greatness, which was "a burden" 
to him (Chronicle, 744). While it is not improbable that he made 
these assertions, it is plain from these letters that he soon changed 
his mind, as indeed, was commonly believed at the time. Barwick 
writing Hyde on May 2d remarks that " they say he much repents of 
what is past." (Thurloe, VII. 666.) It is equally plain that Guizot 
was mistaken in asserting that " Richard allowed more than a month 
to pass before he wrote to his brother or sent him any directions." 
(Guizot, I. 143.) 

The letters here printed are written in cipher (deciphered) and 
are neither dated nor signed. The events mentioned, however, 
assign the first letter almost certainly to the 12th of May, and the 
second to the 17th of the same month. They are misplaced as they 
stand in the collection. It is possible that they were not received 
by Henry Cromwell, for he complains in a letter written to his 
brother on the 23d that he has heard nothing from him " for some 
time before the last parliament was dissolved." (Thurloe, VII. 
674.) Ralph C. H. Catterall. 

I. (Folio 154). 

I shall not say in how sad a condition I and owre famuly, nay the 
nations are in for it is better for me to throwe myselfe in the dust and 
crye before the Lord, my sins hath brought what is come to pase upon 
us but truly it is as low as men can make it and the flourishing bough of 
it at spring is weathered I shall let my deportement be made knowne by 
my Bro l and Petty 2 the first beinge a spectator , to my carriadge at the 
time the par sat I can assure you I stoode not so highe as my father 
did yet I thought it was fitting I should keep the grounde of a good con- 
science wch I have done hetherto though it be for my present ruen and 
famuly for I could not have beleved that religion relation and selfe in- 
trest wold have deceved me sense Petty departure whoe was fuly instructed 
the same for Scotland at the same time being sent for youre better corre- 
spondency the rumpe of the pari hath met 3 whoe are about sixty and 
are very violent upon him that is gone as wel flyinge high upon those 
that are living there is a commite of safety apointed who sits at Walling- 
ford Howse the names of them are Fl i Des 5 Vane Hasselrige Ludlow 
Lambert and others 6 they are propounding to the pari five generals that 

1 Lord Broghill. He left London April 29, 1659. Thurloe, VII. 665. 

2 Dr. Petty, afterwards the celebrated Sir William Petty. 

3 May 7. 

4 Fleetwood. 

5 Desborough. 

6 Appointed May 7 ( C. J., VIII. 646) but did not include Lambert and Desborough 
until the 9th. {Ibid.) 



Two Letters of Richard Cromwell, 1659 88 

shal have equal powers whoe are not to act a part in the government of 
the army ' though youre provocation is very greate and you have a great 
sense of the honor of my deceassed father and the perishing condition 
of the famuly yet youe wil be wary what you doe for youre owne sake 
and the sake of those that shal have an affection with you nothing 
giveth hopes but a cleare understanding and good correspondency with 
general Moncke whoe hath written a letter which is very favorable 2 but 
I hope it is only to hold himselfe in a good opinion with them at West- 
minster until a faire opertunity I beleive they here intende to be very vygor- 
ous and briske if not timely prevented which cannot be but by a diversion 
from the forces at the distant places I knowe noe hope but some such 
way and that must be also assisted by frinds and strong places here s which 
if there be and hopes with you there being none left here it wil be neces- 
sary that we should keepe boeth often and close correspondency I am now 
in daly exspectation what course they wil take withe me my confidence 
is in god and to him wil I put my cause I have heard nothing from Scot- 
land or Dunklerque nor fleete this nation is ful of raige and unquietnes 
500 horse would have turned al but my E * was a spectator how corporals 
led troops from there captaines and captaines from there colonels I beleive 
K and L 5 are not longe lived if it wold please god to let them see there 
dainger yet theings might be retreived but oure hopes are lowe I knowe 
not whether a liberty or a prisson The Lord be with you and for me 
pray doe nothing that may be for your men but lay youre bussines withe 
united strength and then leave the succese to god I could wish you could 
have a correspondency by some ship from Ireland to general Mountague 

I rest 

deare brother 

youres most affectionatly 



II. (Folio 153). 

I am not able to advise my freinds my councel and my relations hav- 
ing all forsaken me 6 I am now attending the greate god, whoe is only 

1 This suggestion was made to Parliament on May n (C. J., VII. 649"). On the 
13th, however, seven instead of five were named [ibid., 650), a fact which shows that 
Richard wrote after the Ilth and not later than the 13th. As he does not mention the 
discussion in Parliament over the naming of a committee of state, which took place on 
the 1 2th, it seems certain that the letter was written on that day. 

2 /. <?., to the Rump. Read in Parliament May 9 ( C. J., VII. 647). No date 
is given when written, but it must have been before the 5th. (Guizot's R. Cromwell, I. 

381-) 

3 As Richard does not mention the offers of assistance repeatedly made by Bordeaux 
to Thurloe on behalf of France even as late as May 18 (Guizot, I. 379-385, 387, 389) 
it seems probable that these had not been communicated to him by Thurloe. 

4 Broghill. The word " lord " preceding has been erased. 

5 Fleetwood and Desborough. K and L being their cipher designations. 

6 The formal adhesion of Monk and his officers was read in Parliament on the 18th 
(C. J., VII. 658). It was dated the 12th. Lockhart's submission to Parliament was 
made on the 17th (Thurloe, VII. 670-671) and was also read in Parliament on the 18th 
(C.J., VII 657 )• 



89 Documents 

my hope I wish he had been more when in prosperity but as to the ey of 
men I was not wanton they have nothing to say though I am in the duste 
with my mouthe as to god I shall not direct you to your owne counceles 
being only able to offer you matter of fact wch would be too tedious and 
supitious to relate it in paper and therefore I have as farre as I can in- 
structed doctor King whoe hath seen things and understood more by his 
genera] 1 converse than myselfe Pray have a care whoe you trust the world 
is false And for myselfe those that were my father's freinds pretended ones 
only were myne it required time to acquaint myselfe with them and they 
tripped up my heeles before I knew them for though they were relations 
yet they forsooke me I knowe Ffld and Desb regaurds not ruen soe that 
they may have there ends they are pittiful creatures god will avenge in- 
nocency I have acquainted this bearer with Mounkes letter ' in answer to 
what I sent him wch was the same I sent to you it is a poore one ; and 
without Bro can retrive and the fleete stand stenche there is noe hopes as to 
my busines greate severities are put upon me and I exspect the greatest 
this afternoone I looke for comittee to come unto me, with yesterdays votes 2 
this bearer shal alsoe be acquainted wth them thes men intend nothing lese 
then ruen to us boeth yet let me not provocke youre judgement I knowe not 
more to say, but to let you know the great men doe not agre and that the 
army is in greate disorder the horse and foote the one for his penny a 
day the other for his thrippence a day besides honest men throwne out 
only because they were protectorians David's case was very heard let us 
rely upon the god of our ffather. and it wil be as much o r hon r to know 
how to. I shall desire the Lord to be y or helpe in all y or streight, and 
difficultyes with myne, and my wyfes true respects I rest 

I would faine knowe what Bro sayes in this oure case pray have a 
familiar kindnes to him. 



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